Confessions of a Philosopher
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Why Should We Philosophise
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Yep, you're right. Sometimes we just don't think these things deep enough, my suspicion is we live almost 90% of our lives as zombies. Work, school, play. We don't know how to live anymore. These questions will never be exhausted. Because once we already know, then we'll lose the reason to live.
Allow me to philosohize on your comments...First let me be fair and tell you I have not read the book for this topic.
I think that everyone at some point, on some level, ponders those questions. It is in our nature. Many after first pondering it let it go. I think this mainly happens for one of two reasons. 1) They come to their own conclusion they decide to believe in. 2) They have thought it through, came up with no conclusion, and have moved on.
Then there are the rest of us....who like to revisit these thoughts, inquire them of others, and come up with new questions to ponder. I believe the 3 of us fall under this category.
If you're all done patting yourselves on the back, I'd like to put in a good word for those who work, go to school, and play.
Many of the most difficult questions aren't really legitimate questions at all: "Why am I here?" presumes that there IS a reason you're here. They're great fun for people who are philosophically minded to argue and puzzle over, but living life "as a zombie" is how almost everyone lives every second. It's impossible to maintain a wide view of life when the details of our finite minds and social structures are so important and so overwhelming.
"Why you are here?" is a nifty question, but "What will I be arrested for?" and "Boy, that really hurt. Should I do it again?" are, arguably, more important.
Beware burying your head in the Ivory Tower. If you look closely, it'll start to seem a lot like your butt.
Many of the most difficult questions aren't really legitimate questions at all: "Why am I here?" presumes that there IS a reason you're here. They're great fun for people who are philosophically minded to argue and puzzle over, but living life "as a zombie" is how almost everyone lives every second. It's impossible to maintain a wide view of life when the details of our finite minds and social structures are so important and so overwhelming.
"Why you are here?" is a nifty question, but "What will I be arrested for?" and "Boy, that really hurt. Should I do it again?" are, arguably, more important.
Beware burying your head in the Ivory Tower. If you look closely, it'll start to seem a lot like your butt.
Ew. Nasty. To imply that spending time pondering philosophical questions is like...the metaphor in your last sentence...is overly harsh.You seem to have tried hard to escape philosophy, but have been unsuccessful. If the question "Why am I here?" gives you the thought that there is no reason, that is philosophy right there.
I don't completely agree with the zombie thing... I don't think that everyone who is not asking these questions is going around zombie like. Instead I think that they have not yet been asked such questions (by themselves or others) or have tabled such questions in their mind.
Also...while such ponderings are meaningful to me, I do not hold them as the biggest reason to live. I more greatly value things like love and laughter.
I'm okay with you not wanting to think about the same questions and do not think negatively of you for it. The harsh way you ended your comment insulted the thinking process of the rest of us.
Haha. The thing is, EVERYTHING is philosophical, once you really think about it. Perhaps I was being a bit vague on the work, school, play thing. Everything goes back to "why am I here?". Let's take Brendan's example. "What I will be arrested for?" is a nice question. Why did you ask that question in the first place? What did you do? Why did you do it? Was it important do to it? But did you really do it? Was it wrong to do it? Why was it wrong to do it if I needed to do it? Why did I need to do it? Did the good outweigh the bad? Am I willing to suffer bad for good? Why should I suffer? WHY AM I HERE?And the question why am i here doesn't need to be argued about, I think. At first blush the question seems to be an ivory tower sort of thing but it really isnt. That, I think, is called living.
In my humble opinion, it is indeed a waste of time to just pondering about this kind of topic. I agree with Thoreau that to really love wisdom, you must act according to it. It is non sense to think that X is best action for situation S then act Y because it's conventional.
I don't say that contemplate without action doesn't worth anything but it's value is no more than watching movie or play video game..well, maybe a little bit more but you get the point.
I don't say that contemplate without action doesn't worth anything but it's value is no more than watching movie or play video game..well, maybe a little bit more but you get the point.
Malama wrote: "Hey, a 80% of people in the world presume that it is a waste of time to think through things the way philosophers have done. The frightening topics, for example are: Does God exist? What is the m..."
Malama wrote: "
Hey, a 80% of people in the world presume that it is a waste of time to think through things the way philosophers have done. The frightening topics, for example are: Does God exist? What is the m..."
Why do you think zombies are so popular today?
Personally I think it's very important to reason through these issues or else we'll live our lives like zombies.
What do you think? Have these questions been exhausted?